Sand, sunshine and students packed the beaches for a fun-filled week by the sea over spring break. With the smell of sunscreen and alcohol still fresh in their memory, it’s often difficult for students to get back in the swing of things, and when they first return to campus, most experience a “spring break slump.”  

Now that students have had a taste of summer, coming back to responsibilities, lectures and stressful schedules may not seem all that appetizing, but thankfully, there are effective ways to overcome the lack of motivation some students experience.

Math sophomore Abdullah Bhombal said he completely relates to the lack of enthusiasm students may have coming back from break, despite the fact he did not make it to the beach this year.

“My family just moved into a new house, so most of the week I was helping unpack,” Bhombal said. “I was not looking forward to coming back because I have many tests in the coming weeks and didn’t touch any homework over the break.”

Despite the struggle of jumping right back to work after a week of fun, there are many suggestions that can help students stay motivated to finish off the semester strong. For Bhombal, however, he admits he does not know an effective method to stay motivated for the rest of the school year.

“I am not really sure how I plan to stay motivated,” Bhombal said. “I guess just try to do well on my tests and finish the semester.” 

On its website, the University’s Sanger Learning Center published advice for students who are struggling to stay motivated throughout the semester on their website. The center wrote that students should think about the goals they want to achieve and how to achieve them in order to refocus their mindset.

Meanwhile, biology freshman Destiny Cuevas said she plans to utilize the recharge time she had during the break as a way to propel herself through the coming weeks.

“Throughout the rest of the semester, I plan to keep my priorities first and make sure I stay focused and maintain my schedule from before spring break,” Cuevas said. “It is almost the end of the semester, so I need to make sure I stay on top of my work.”

Cuevas also said she keeps herself motivated by making plans through the post-spring break semester that she can look forward to.

“I go to school, work out, leave, go home and have whatever fun I have over there,” she said. “I am planning on going to California in any break I have before summer classes start.”

In an article for Psychology Today, Beverly D. Flaxington, a professor at Suffolk University, affirmed the usefulness of giving yourself rewards to anticipate throughout the semester.

“Everyone likes rewards — they make us feel happy, valued and recognized,” she wrote. “Little rewards here and there for whatever progress you made will give your motivation a good boost and allow you to maintain a positive outlook throughout your journey.”

With spring finally here and summer only seven weeks away, it is easy to get caught up in a routine of procrastination, but UT students and academic resources suggest keeping school work the central priority and properly balancing your academic and social life will help the rest of the semester fly by. Before you know it, sunshine, sand and sunscreen will no longer be a distant memory.